Grease dispenser



6, 1955 E. P. SUNDHOLM 2,715;491

GREASE DISPENSER Filed Feb. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

EDWIN P. SUNDHOLM BY 1955 E. P. SUNDHOLM 2,715,491

GREASE DISPENSER Filed Feb. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l IN VEN TOR.

\ EDWIN e SUNDHOL M BY @af ,4 ORNE) Aug. 16, 1955 E. P. SUNDHOLM GREASE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 1N VEN TOR. EDWIN R SUNDHDL M FIG. 5

A TTOR/VEY United States Patent GREASE DISPENSER Edwin P. Sundhoim, Albert City, Iowa, assignor to Our Saviors Evangeiical Lutheran Church, Albert City, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application February 18, 1952, Serial No. 272,155

7 Claims. (Cl. 2261l)9) The present invention relates to fluid dispensers and particularly to dispensers for transferring lubricating fluids such as grease or oil or the like from original vendible merchandising containers to small-capacity greaseguns or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide an original vendible merchandising fluid-container and a support or base therefor and adapted to co-act therewith, whereby to transfer grease or the like from said container to a grease-gun.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer pail-base for a relatively large-capacity greasecontainer which enables easy transfer of small quantities of fluid from said container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer pail-base which permits intermittent removal of small quantities of fluid from a conventional largecapacity container without puncturing said container or exposing the contents thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pail-base for use with a conventional 25-pound greasepail or the like.

Further objects will be apparent by reference to the appended specification, claims and drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the original vendible merchandising container of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary side elevational view of the pail-base of the present invention.

Figure 3 represents an exploded perspective view of the container and pail-base with the container in upright position and the pail-base inverted thereabove.

Figure 4 represents a perspectiveview of the assembled pail-base and container with a can-shield disposed above the container.

Figure 5 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled pailbase, container and shield in operative interconnected position.

Figure 6 represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified form of clamp to connect the container to the pail-base.

In the field of automotive and industrial, etc. lubrication, it is customary to supply lubricating fluids such as greases, relatively viscous oils or the like in conventional 25-pound pails, from which the grease may be transferred to relatively small-capacity grease-guns or the like. Thus, a generally cylindrical original vendible merchandising container 10, having a beaded upper edge 2,715,491 Fatented Aug. 16, 1955 10a and a bottom 11 is constructed and arranged to contain approximately 25 pounds (more or less) of grease; said pail 18 having a cover 12 detachably and sealingly closing the upper end thereof.

A follower plate 13 is disposed within the pail 15 at the bottom thereof and has an aperture 15 therein through which an air-vent 14 passes. A flange 16 on the air-vent 14 is disposed between the follower plate 13 and the bottom 11 of the pail, while the opposite end 17 of the air-vent is flared, as at 18.

The container 10 is filled with grease and supplied to the purchaser with the follower-plate 13 and the air-vent 14 disposed therein.

A pail-base 19 is constructed and arranged to support the container thereon and includes a generally dish-shaped or concave upper surface 20 with a peripheral downwardly extending flange or skirt 21. The lower edge of the skirt 21 may be reinforced with a bead 22 and adapted to rest upon a floor, or other supporting surface, with the dish-shaped top 21 in spaced relation thereto.

The top 20 is generally concave in shape and has an aperture 23 in the central lowermost portion thereof. A conduit 24 is secured to the base 19, beneath the aperture 23 and terminates in an opening 24-a (on one side of the skirt 21) to which a grease-gun connector 25 operatively is secured. The opening 24-(1 is closed by a valve 26. The connector 25 may be screw-threaded, as at 27, to receive the threaded end of a grease-gun barrel (not shown), and the valve 26 includes a plunger 28 by which the valve is opened when a grease-gun barrel (not shown) is screw-threadedly secured to the connector 25.

A gasket 29 is secured to the top 20 along the periphery thereof and is of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the beaded edge 10a of the pail 10.

An aperture 30 is formed in the top 29 of the pail-base 19, and a vent pipe 31 is secured to the top in fluid-tight relation and in alignment with the aperture 3%; constructed and arranged to extend upwardly from the top 20, generally parallel with the axis of the pail-base 19. The outer diameter of the vent pipe 31 is substantially the same as or slightly less than the inner diameter of the air-vent 14.

A horizontal shoulder 33 is formed in the outer surface of the skirt 21, and is adapted to receive and support thereon a cover 34. The cover 34 is sufficiently large to envelope the pail 10 when the pail is operatively disposed on the base 19, as is shown particularly in Figure 5.

An upstanding peripheral flange 35 extends upwardly from the top 20 of the base 19, and is constructed and arranged to center the bead 10a on the gasket 29, as shown in Figure 5.

A plurality of clamps 32 are secured to the skirt 2i and a plurality of aligned fingers 36 are secured to the cover 34 whereby detachably to secure the cover against the shoulder 33.

A spring 37 is fastened to the top 38 of the cover 34 whereby to urge the beaded edge iii-a of the container 10 against the gasket 29 when the clamps 32 secure the cover on the shoulder 33.

In addition, a carrying handle 39 is secured to the cover 34 whereby the interconnected base and container may be transported.

As shown in Figure 6, the cover 34 may be eliminated and the container secured to the base by the modified clamps 32-a which directly engage the beaded edge iii-a and pull the edge into fluid-tight engagement with the gasket 29.

The operation of the dispenser of the present invention is as follows:

The generally conventional pail 10, having the follower,

a plate 13 at the bottom thereof with the air-vent 14 disposed therein, may be positioned upon a supporting surface with the bottom 11 in contact therewith. After the cover 12 is removed from the beaded edge Iii-a, the pail-base 19 may. be inverted above the pail 10, and in axial alignment therewith, and with the vent-pipe 31 disposed above the flared end 16 of the air-vent 14.

Thereafter, the pail-base 19 may be lowered so as to bring the gasket 29 into contact with the beaded edge 10-a, with the vent-pipe 31 telescopically inserted into the air-vent 14.

Thereupon, the clamps 32-a may be hooked around the beaded edge 10-11 to secure the base 19 in fluid-tight relation upon beaded edge. Then the interconnected base 19 and container 10 may be set right-side-up with the bead 22 of the base 19 resting upon the supporting surface (such as the floor or the like).

In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the abutting container and base are held manually together and are inverted prior to being mechanically interconnected, and thereafter the cover 34 is secured to the base upon the shoulder 33 by the clamps 32.

In this position, with the base right-side-up and the container inverted, the grease will flow from the container 10 onto the top 20 of the base 19 and be guided thereby to the aperture 23, and through the conduit 24 to the valved connector 25.

Thereafter, when a grease-gun or the like is secured to the connector 25, depressing the valve 26, grease will pass by gravity (or be drawn by suction of the greasegun), from the dispensing pail-base 19.

As fluid is withdrawn from the pail-base 19 and the container 10, it is replaced by air which enters the pail 10 through the telescopically interconnected vent-pipe 31 and air-vent 14. Thus, it is unnecessary to perforate the pail 10 to prevent an air-lock within the pail as the grease is withdrawn through the dispensing base 19.

The air-vent 14 and the vent-pipe 31 are constructed and arranged so that the vent-pipe 31 fits closely within the air-vent 14 and, thus, there will be no fluid-leakage through the interconnected air-vent and vent-pipe when the interconnected pail-base and container are set rightside-up on the supporting surface.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A fluid-dispenser including an original vendible merchandising fluid container and a container-support, said fluid container being open only at one end thereof, an air-vent consisting of a duct extending vertically in said container to the open end portion of said container,

said container-support having a dished upper surface adapted to be held in spaced relation to a supporting surface by a peripheral skirt, a conduit interconnecting an aperture in said dished surface and a grease-gun socket operatively secured to said skirt, a sealing-gasket secured to said container support at the outer periphery. of said dished surface and constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the open end of said container, a vent-pipe secured to said container-support and constructed and arranged telescopically to engage the portion of said air-vent adjacentthe open end portion of said .container when the open end of said container is sealingly secured to said gasket.

2. A fluid-dispenser including an original vendible merchandising fluid container and a container-support, said fluid container being open only at one end thereof, an air-vent consisting of a duct extending vertically in said container to the open end portion of said container, said container-support having a dished upper surface adapted to be held in spaced relation to a supporting surface by a peripheral skirt, a conduit interconnecting an aperture in said dished surface and a grease-gun socket operatively secured to said skirt, a sealing-gasket secured to said container-support at the outer periphery of said dished surface andconstructed and arranged sealingly to engage the open end of said container, a vent-pipe secured to said container-support and constructed and arranged telescopically to engage the portion of said air-vent adjacent the open end portion of said container when the open end of said container is sealingly secured to said gasket, a plurality of connectors on said support constructed and arranged detachably to engage said container.

3. A fluid-dispenser including an original vendible merchandising fluid container and a container-support, said fluid container being open only at one end thereof, an air-vent consisting of a duct extending vertically in said container to the open end portion of said container, said container-support having a dished upper surface adapted to be held in spaced relation to a supporting surface by a peripheral skirt, a conduit interconnecting an aperture in said dished surface and a grease-gun socket operatively secured to said skirt, a sealing-gasket secured to said container support at the outer periphery of said dished surface and constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the open end of said container, a vent-pipe secured to container-support and constructed and arranged telescopically to engage the portion of said air-vent adjacent the open end portion of said container when the open end of said container is sealingly secured to said gasket, a shoulder on the outer surface of said skirt and a container-enveloping cover adapted to envelop said container and a portion of said support when said container is operatively supported upon said shoulder.

4. A fluid-dispenser including an original vendible merchandising fluid container and a container-support, said fluid container being open only at one end thereof, an air-vent consisting of a duct extending vertically in said container to the open end portion of said container, said container-support having a dished upper surface adapted to be held in spaced relation to a supporting surface by a peripheral skirt, a conduit interconnecting an aperture in said dished surface and a grease-gun socket operatively secured to said skirt, a sealing-gasket secured to said container support at the outer periphery of said dished sur-.

face and constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the open end of said container, a vent-pipe secured to said container-support and constructed and arranged telescopically to engage the portion of said air-vent adjacent the open end portion of said container when the open end of said container is sealingly secured to said gasket, a shoulder on the outer surface of said skirt and a container-enveloping cover adapted to envelop said container and a portion of said support when said container is operatively supported upon said shoulder, a plurality of connectors constructed and arranged detachably to interconnect said covcr and said base, and a container-contacting member secured to said cover and constructed and arranged to urge said container into fluid-tight contact.

with said gasket.

5. A fluid-dispenser including an original, vendable merchandising fluid container and a container-support, said fluid container having a removable cover at one end thereof, a follower-plate within said container at the opposite end thereof from said cover, an aperture in said follower-plate, an air-vent within said container extending through said aperture in said follower-plate, said container-support having a dished upper surface, a peripheral skirt constructed and arranged to hold said dished upper surface in spaced relation to a supporting surface, a grease-gun connector operatively secured to said skirt, a conduit interconnecting said dished surface and said connector, 3. sealing-gasket secured to said containersupport at the outer periphery of said dished surface and constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the coverreceiving end of said container when said cover is removed, a vent-pipe secured to said container-support and constructed and arranged telescopically to engage said air-vent within said container when the cover is removed from said container and the cover-receiving end of said container is sealingly disposed on said gasket.

6. Gun-loading apparatus for loading grease-guns and the like with a relatively viscous fluid, comprising a gun loading container-support having a bottom portion constructed and arranged to rest on the floor or similar horizontal surface and having an upper container-receiving portion constructed and arranged operatively to support a container, an upper inlet opening in the containerreceiving portion of said support, a loading-socket on the side of said support, a conduit intermediate said upper inlet-opening and said loading-socket and in communication With each, a relatively thin-walled original, vendable, merchandising container open at one end, and removably disposed on the container-receiving portion of said support, an annular sealing-gasket interposed between said container-receiving portion of said support and the open end of said container, a telescopic air-vent disposed within said container and secured to said support to vent said container above the fluid-level therein, and a connector for interlockingly securing said container to said support.

7. A fluid-dispensing apparatus for dispensing generally viscous fiuids from an original, vendable, merchandising container, including a container-support and a container, a dished upper container-receiving surface on said support, a fluid-inlet and an air-inlet formed in said dished upper surface, a vent-tube secured to said support around said air-inlet and extending upwardly therefrom, a sealing gasket on said dished upper surface around the outer periphery thereof, at least one connector operatively secured to said base in close proximity to said gasket, a beaded edge on said container and a removable cover secured to said beaded edge, a follower-plate within said container disposed adjacent the end opposite said beaded edge, an air-vent disposed within said container and passing through an aperture in said followerplate, said air-vent constructed and arranged telescopically to engage said vent-tube when said beaded edge is sealingly disposed on said gasket, said connector constructed and arranged to engage and draw said beaded edge into fluid-tight contact with said gasket when said air-vent telescopically engages said vent-tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,297 Price Sept. 5, 1922 2,277,824 Franson Mar. 31, 1942 2,526,708 Sundholm Oct. 24, 1950 2,605,021 Churchill July 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 502,113 Great Britain Mar. 13, 1939 

